Roald Dahl fans and kids who revel in the grotesque will
enjoy this lively book in which a London boy aged ten gets
money - but not if his mother can make off with it first.
JOHNNY NOTHING tells of Johnny MacKenzie who, though he
didn't know his rich, mean, businessman uncle, attends the
old man's funeral. The repulsive reading of the will over,
the few relatives are dismayed to be given very little.
Johnny is given a cash card and PIN by Mr Dark the
solicitor, enabling him to draw out up to a million English
pounds. Of course, his mother Felicity's eyes light up and
she snatches the goods 'for safe keeping'.
This is no ordinary mother. Care for her child has not come
first in her priorities. Care for her husband has not been
near the top either, it's safe to say. One brief spending
spree later, the account is reduced by ten thousand
pounds. The family plan a world tour holiday. Only, by the
terms of the will, if Johnny can return in a year and show
that his account has grown over a million pounds, he's
going to be given ten million. Interest alone would do
that... but not if the money keeps being spent faster than
it accumulates.
I didn't much take to the early chapters, after which the
author Ian Probert returns frequently to the theme of
unpleasant smells, bodily odours and functions. He seems
to think that all children are obsessed by or interested in
such matters. I wasn't. Johnny's impoverished state is much
like a Dahl book without the implicit kindness, but this
family is seen to have chosen a grotty Council flat
lifestyle by being 'allergic to work'. Nor are they making
sensible choices, renting expensive hotel rooms instead of
buying a house. A bleak future faces Johnny, with no time,
thought or wealth spent on him and the instant
gratification threatening to do away with his promised
largesse. Children may read this as a fun story or may
absorb lessons from the actions and consequences.
When Johnny decides to fight back, after nine months, what
happens? What can someone so young possibly do? And has
he left it too late? Lurking under the surface of JOHNNY
NOTHING you'll discover ironic humour, suspense, strong
characterisations, just desserts and life lessons, along
with advice not to smoke or drink. Ian Probert has written
several other novels and this is his first young people's
book for some years.
WARNING: This book will seriously damage your funny bone.
The poorest boy in school has just inherited £1 million. But
there is a catch: If he can hold on to his cash for a whole
year he will earn ten times that amount. Enter Felicity
MacKenzie, the ugliest, sweatiest, vilest, cruelest,
hairiest mother in the western world. When she steals her
son’s money and goes on the spending spree to end all
spending sprees it seems that Johnny Nothing will stay poor
forever. However, Johnny has a plan – he will imprison his
parents and force them to do homework and go to bed early as
punishment. Join Johnny Nothing, Bill and Ben the bouncer
men, Ebenezer Dark and a cast of literally dozens in
(probably) the funniest book you will (most likely) ever
read in (some of) your lifetime. Learn why solicitors like
handbags; why dead people are windier than the North Sea;
why parents dislike electrocution; and what happens to you
after you die. Johnny Nothing: Book 01 in a series of less
than two from best-selling author Ian Probert
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